Fire-escape



(No Model.) v

y M. C. OGONNOR.

PIRE ESCAPE.

No. 297,710. K Patented Ap1n-29, 1884.

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UtuT'n-n4 STATES MATTHEW c.Y oooivivon, or

PATENT rrlcno NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

Fl RE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part-o Letters Patent No. 297,710, dated April 29, 1884.

Application tiled May 23, 1883. (No model.)

, To all whom t may concern? Be it known that I, MATTHEW C. O7 CONNOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to portable fire-escapes; and it consists in certain improvements in the construction thereof,whereby the same' can be readily operated and controlled by the party using the same, and also be readily carried from place to place by hand, and be stowed away, when desired, in a very small compass, as will be hereinafter described andclaimed. f

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the escape in readiness forA use. Fig. 2 represents a sectional side elevation of the case and parts inclosed thereby.

- A represents the case, which is of any suitable or desired form, such'as round, square, octagonal, but preferably round, as shown inthe drawings. Centrally of this case and through the same extends a spindle or shaft,

B, which at one end is journaled in the iixed.

back plate, C, its other end passing through a removable front plate, D, which is secured in position by means of screw-bolts E, which Upon the free en'd of the spindle or shaft Bis. mounted a hand-wheel, G.

H represents a webbing chain or rope, which is secured at one end, by any suitable means,

to the shaft B within the casing, and is coiled therearound, as shownin Fig. 2. As the handwheel is turned to the right, the shaft will be rotated,so as to coil the webbing chain or rope H tightly around the same, while by turning the hand-wheel G in the reverse direction the coil will be loosened, so as to permit the material H to readily pay out.

From the upper part of the inner face of the back plate, C, project inwardly a series of rounded bearing-pins, I J K L M, around whichthe webbing or other material H travels, and

a pair' of friction-blocks, N and O, across one face and end of one of which and between both of which' said webbing passes.

To the outer end of the webbing H is at tached a ring or hook, P, by means. of which the apparatus is attached to a window-sill or other suitable part of a building, article of furniture, or other anchorage. That part of the webbing just below the hook or ring P is incased in leather, a', as shownto prevent the friction of the webbing against the windowsill fraying said webbing l.

Q represents a sling of webbing or other suitable material, connected either directly'to the case A, or removably attached thereto or to straps R, depending from ears S thereon, by a ring and snap-hook, as shown, or in any other suitable manner. It is preferred that said sling be removably attached, substantially in the manner shown, as thereby a person desiring to use the escape can more readily place said sling around his body and fasten it in position than or shaft B, whereupon the weight of the person in the sling will drag down the case A,

and consequently cause the webbing H to pay out from the case A. As the webbing or other material, H, uncoils, it first passes over and across the top of the rounded pin I, thence horizontally to and across the under face yof the pin J, and from thence upward to and over the pin K. A Itthen passes in an angularly downward direction to and horizontally across the rounded lower ends of the clamp or brake N O, and from thence in an upward angular direction to and across the outer face of the pin L, to and around the pin M, from whence it passes vertically downward across the outer face of the friction-block O of the clamp or brake, and around the rounded lower end thereof to and up between the friction-blocks N O. It will thus be seen that as the webbing or other material, H, pays out it is guided around the pins I J K, the weight of the user pulling down the case creating a tension on IOO the webbing that insures the same being held l by means of the hook or ring to some suitable in frictional contact with the respective pins I anchorage, it will necessarily follow that the during its passage over the same. From pin K the webbing passes down vertically to and horizontally across the rounded lower ends of the friction-blocks N O up to and around the pins L M on the opposite side, and from thence down the outside and around the rounded bottom end ofthe friction-block O, and up between the blocks N O. It will be seen from this that while a portion of the webbing is passing in a horizontal direction across the lower ends of the frietion-blocks another portion ot' said webbing is traveling in a vertical direction, and that at the lower end of frictionblock O the webbing passes in opposite horizontal directions and in frietional contact. 3y this means the frietional contact of the webbing with the several parts above enumerated and with a portion of itself results in securing an automatic braking ofthe webbing while in use. The user having placed the sling in position around his body, (or, it' desired, such sling may be of sufficient width to permit of the person seating himselt tl1erein,) he grasps t 1e strap R with one hand, and with the other turns the hand-wheel, so as to loosen the coil of webbing within the case. \Vhen the coil is loosened, the weight ofthe person in the sling will operate to draw down the case, and as the upper end of the webbing is rigidly secured webbing will pay out as the case descends.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim therein isl. In a portable fire-escape, the combination of the case A, having rounded bearing-pins I J K L M projecting from the inner face of the back plate, C, and friction-blocks N O, arranged between said bearing-pins, webbing or other suitable material, II, means, substantially as described, for coiling and uncoiling the same, and the sling Q, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The iireescape herein described, consisting of case A, having rounded bearingpins I J K L DI, and frietion-blocksNO, having rounded lower ends, webbing or other suitable material, H, adapted to travel across the faces ot' said pins, and across the rounded lower ends ot' both ot' and around one and between both ot' said frietion-blocks, central shaft, B, l1and-whee1 G, and sling Q, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my Isignature in presence of two witnesses.

MATTIIIEWv C. OCONNOR.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN A. IECKHAM, W. Hrrcnooon. 

